Error upon error at clumsy CPS

Today's Audit Commission report on the criminal justice system reveals a culture of delay and inefficiency that can often lead to defendants walking free.

In one case, an amazing blunder let convicted killer Michael Weir go free as lawyers missed a crucial deadline to file papers for a House of Lords hearing. The delay meant 33-year-old Weir will never have to serve the life sentence imposed on him for killing pensioner Leonard Harris.

Weir, from Hackney, was convicted at the Old Bailey of the murder of Mr Harris who was attacked at his home in 1998. When police found a glove containing a blood sample, a DNA test matched it to an earlier sample taken from Weir in 1997, when he was accused of drug offences.

Because the DNA sample should have been destroyed when the drugs charge against Weir was dropped, the Attorney-General referred the murder conviction to the Court of Appeal, which in turn freed Weir. The CPS decided to seek a ruling from the House of Lords, but the case collapsed because they lodged the papers a day late.

A judge also blamed CPS shortcomings for the collapse of a £12 million cannabis and police corruption trial involving a Scotland Yard detective after the prosecution failed to disclose 2,000 pages of extra evidence to defence lawyers.

In May last year an alleged child rapist went on the run after walking free because a lawyer failed to turn up in court. With no evidence against him, the magistrate had to let the suspect go. He was only recaptured after a four-day hunt by Scotland Yard.